Unionist is mischievous – Shaningwa in court documents

Swapo secretary general Sophia Shaningwa has described unionist and party member Reinhold Shipwikineni as a mischievous character.

She says he is decisive, destructive, and determined to find “dirt” in the party’s leadership.

Shaningwa said this in an affidavit submitted to the High Court.

Shipwikineni and others have taken legal action against the ruling party, insisting that a decision not to hold an extraordinary congress this year is against its constitution.

They are being represented by Richard Metcalfe.

“He politically thrives on propagating lies and misinformation on or about the party’s leadership.

“He naively and cynically believes that an insult-based public discourse is part of the constitutionally protected fundamental freedom of expression.

“In fact, he is a muckracking politician with a misguided obsession with searching for dirt against prominent leaders of the party,” Shaningwa said.

Swapo has insisted that an extraordinary congress will only be held next year, after which party candidate Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah would have contested in the national elections.

The Swapo Party Youth League has also brought out knives against Shipwikineni and those supporting his case, saying they must expel themselves from the party.